The Delta independent., 1887-03-22
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

that the President will ask the Fitieth
Congress to convene i'll extra session
early in October. Ii he does. there are
several reason that will prompt the UNI
popular step.
Ii is we'll known fact that Congress
scarcely ever does anything like real
work until after the holiday recess. 1t
goes without saying also that the two
great parties in Congress will be sur
charged with politics next year and
that their time will be largely devoted
to President making. So. unless some
of the important legislation to come
before it. can be matured ut an earlier
day thau tine course of the regular ses-
sion would make possible, there would
be but little hope for its success.
The experience of the past two win
ters in Congress has shown very clear
ly that the interests OF the country
have become altogether too vast and
complicated TO be thoroughly looked
after and kept up within the time af-
forded by the regular sessions. Much
oi the first, or the long session as 1T is
usually called, is devoted to the formu-
lltiun of business for the second or
short session, and the business thus de-
fered from one year to another-in
many cases business of the most urgent
impor;ance-is hurled into the whirl
of The last ten days or two weeks of
Congress-, to he but half done or badly
done or not done AT all.
Some idea of the manner in which
the Forty-Nintl Congress would up its
work ,nay be found in the declaration
of II member of long experience that
the record revealed tie fact that
one-quarter of the legislature of the ses-
sion had been enacted in tile last six
legislative days. An enrolling clerk
of twelve Years of service said that
never in that length of lime had he
last lwenty-four hours of the Congress
which has just expired.
During the recess of the Upper
House, for the Senate. which only re-
news one third of itself biennially. is IL
perennially organized body and goes On
forever, some of the Senators will 90
TO Europe. Mr.. Ingalls,. of Kansas, the
newly elected President of the Senate,
says lie is not one of those who can ill.,
dulge in such aluxur5, however. When
asked if lie proposed to spend the sum-
ner abroad, he replied, mot unless
some good fairy pityingy puts money
in my purse" He added that the Eu-
ropean pleasures called for more filthy
lucre than he could command.
When some astoIsliment was ex-
pressed that the President of that great
millionaires' clup Qhe United States
the Atlantic in these days of low pric-
es and rapid transit, the Senator said
it WAS the plain, unyaInislicd truth,
and that there was "A quite IA number Of
uelnb.rs of the millionaires' club in
that predicament. He thinks Il great
! deal of unnecessary nonsense is written
about SentOrlal exclusiveness and Sell
torial wealth, and asserts that in reali-
| ty IL large majority of his confreres
have nothing but their salaries to live
| on.
Senator Spooner IS not too poverty
stricken to plan IL summer trip to Eu-
rope, however. and Senator Palmer,
who is one of the undisputable posses
sors of millions. is going to bring
| his invalid wife home. The
latter has been called the philosO-
| phical millionaire, and Is fond of talk
ing episranatically of.life and the use
lrssness of immense wealth. His
| Washington residence is oIs of the
landsomest brown stone fronts in the
city, but he says the lappiest man is
Speaking Of his occasional trips abroad
lie said he wanted to get all he could
out of them before he got Il bit older,
| for it took youth us well rs money to
| ENJOY Europe oT anything eiSe.
The prominent business men of this
city who are anxious to have a carni-
| val here after tie National Drill which
is to take place in May. lave been dis
cussing details in regard to the scheme.
| AT the recent Milrdi Gras in New Or
leans. the Knights OF Momus and the
knights of PrDteus were the Organiza-
| tiois which made the finest display,
and both are proposing to dispose of
| their outfits, which originally cost
| $50. 900, cars and costumes, at $4,000
and $4,000. Washington is disguised to
hire instead of buy these trappings. as
expense could lie saved IN that way.
aud II is held Tint sum Of *25.ooo,